1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to lamp sockets, and in particular, to a lamp socket adapted ensure a lamp is fully engaged prior to being energized.
2. Description of Related Art
Fluorescent lamps typically comprise a hermetically sealed structure or tube containing one or more gases with a small amount of mercury contained therein. The tube is typically coated with a phosphor-based power along the inside of the tube. Additionally, fluorescent lamps also generally contain two electrodes spaced apart and configured such that current flows through the gas and mercury in certain conditions. When sufficient electric charge is applied between the electrodes, electrons migrate through the gas away from one electrode and towards the other. As aggregate electric charge is displaced, some of the electrons collide with the vapor-phase mercury thus exciting electrons contained therein into higher energy states (sometimes incorrectly referred to as “orbital” states). Quickly thereafter, these excited vapor-phase mercury atoms (ionized mercury gas) quickly drop to a lower excitation state and release one or more photons equal to the energy loss resulting from the reduced excitation state of the gas-phase mercury atom. The photons released from the mercury gas are mostly in the ultraviolet region of the light spectrum, and consequentially, are invisible to the human eye and are not directly desirable for human lighting. However, these UV photons are absorbed by the phosphor-based coating. The absorption of the UV photons excites the phosphor atoms, which after rising to a higher energy state, quickly return to a lower energy state giving off light mostly in the visible spectrum.
These fluorescent lamps typically include at least one pin and commonly two pins electrically connected to an electrode. Each electrode is at the end of the hermetically sealed tube. In some configurations, current is injected between the two pins of the electrode to heat the electrodes thereby “boiling off” electrons from the metal surface sending them into the gas thus partially ionizing the gas. However, in some embodiments, this function is bypassed and the two pins are simply electrically connected together in the control circuitry, the lamp socket and/or in the lamp housing.
These fluorescent lamps have a life span and therefore need frequent replacing from time to time. Several fluorescent lamp designs have been standardized including their respective lamp sockets; for example, T5, T8 and T12 are standard fluorescent lamp designs. Lamp sockets are usually designed so that fluorescent lamps may be quickly installed and/or removed. Typically, the lamp sockets are installed by a technician that inserts the pins of the florescent lamp into a socket (usually from the side) and rotates the lamp to secure the lamp within the lamp fixture. These florescent lamps are usually electrically connected immediately upon insertion or after a very minimal amount of rotation. When a florescent lamp is inserted into a lamp socket and not fully rotated, the lampholder may not be fully seated which may be undesirable.